Only Murders in the Building & other things
Plus a P&P spoof I'm obsessed with
It’s finally starting to feel like fall in my corner of the Midwest.
Besides drinking apple cider and stomping through leaves, I’ve been making bath bombs and salt scrubs at my local library as well as teaching a play reading workshop for middle and high school students at a theatre a few towns away.
In writing news, three of my poems were published in Dream of Rust and Glass, Volume II. (The anthology is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.) I also had another poem published in Last Leaves. (Issue 9 will be available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, but you can read it for free here.)
Fall also means the return of Only Murders in the Building. I think season 3 is my favorite, but season 4 still delivers the show’s trademark cozy mystery swaddled in awkward humor. Also, Mabel’s wardrobe continues to be its own character. I want all of her coats.
Lately, I’ve been making a point to read more non-fiction. First up is Picasso's War: How Modern Art Came to America, which focuses on the collectors, dealers, and museum curators who spent decades trying to get Picasso’s art to take off in the USA. It’s a fascinating read.
Heating & Cooling: 52 Micro-Memoirs is exquisitely written. It’s the kind of book you can dip in and out of or read all in one afternoon. Highly recommend.
I’m halfway through The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese. It’s given me a lot to think about in regards to friendships and how they can end without warning and in the brutalist of ways. It also makes me want to eat fancy, expensive cheese. If you want to see what else I’m reading, you can check out my Bookshop (affiliate link).
Thanks to things.i.bought.and.liked, I’ve discovered my new favorite mascara, e.l.f. Lash XTNDR Tubing Mascara. It’s seven bucks, comes in three colors, and doesn’t smudge. I’m already on my second tube. Another TIBAL recommendation I’ve been loving is INNBEAUTY Elastic Skin. It’s like a juiced up version of the ever popular COSRX Snail Mucin. I don’t remember who recommended Briotech Topical Skin Spray, but it’s perfect for dealing with redness and skin irritation. It’s also a dupe for Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray. Another skin saver is megababe Chest-o Presto Acne Spray. If you workout a lot or are just a sweaty mess, this is great to use post-shower. I finally used up my travel size of The 7 Virtues Vanilla Woods. This smells exactly like pure baking vanilla. It’s so good. Sadly, I don’t think they make the rollerball anymore, and I’m a bit bummed that the travel spray is a little smaller. I’ve been obsessed with this REFY Clear Lip Gloss since I tried it, and this hudabeauty Silk Balm Hydrating and Nourishing Lip Balm is silky smooth like a melted lip balm.
Items of note…
- : everybody wants to be Beyoncé, nobody wants to be Beyoncé
- : Comparison is the Thief of Joy
- : I Paid $$$ For A Makeup Lesson with Joey Maalouf. Here Are My 9 Favorite Tips!
- : The Inimitable Snap Cardigan
The Atlantic: What Did Medieval Peasants Know?
Defector: I Took A TikTok Class. What Happened Next Blew My Mind
The New Yorker: What Do You Want to Do with Your Life?
WorkLife with Adam Grant: Overcoming loneliness with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy
I’ve been listening to this mashup on repeat
This makes me want to start practicing piano again
I can’t get enough of literature-clock
I’m obsessed with somebenfen’s take on the 1995 Pride and Prejudice—the facial expressions, the mannerisms, the sock cravats!
And, one last thing…
Hey thanks for the shoutout!